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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26964061">Where All Of Your Ends Meet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/StagedWhisper/pseuds/StagedWhisper'>StagedWhisper</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Anchor 'verse [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>My Chemical Romance, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge - My Chemical Romance (Album)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aftercare, BDSM, Body Paint, Dom Gerard Way, Dom/sub, Fluff, Life on the Murder Scene, M/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Non-Sexual Kink, Sobriety, Sub Frank Iero, Summer of Like, Tattoos, Warped Tour, Warped Tour 2005</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:01:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,426</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26964061</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/StagedWhisper/pseuds/StagedWhisper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“You’re a walking canvas and it's my turn to paint on you.”<br/> <br/>Follows "Let Me Be Your Anchor" and "Welcome Back Your Roots" but can also be read as a stand-alone.</p><p>Set in July 2005</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Frank Iero &amp; Gerard Way, Frank Iero/Gerard Way</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Anchor 'verse [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1945843</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Where All Of Your Ends Meet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Days off don’t exist on tour. Lately the label filled any gaps in the schedule with photoshoots and interviews, which only multiplied after the Taste of Chaos tour earlier in the year as My Chem leaped from openers and co-headliners to headliners in their own right. Gerard didn’t mind the busy schedule too much, the struggle of being on Warped Tour this summer was the constant parties and kickball games where the alluring forbidden fruit of beer and vodka made leaving the bus a calculated risk. </p><p>Today, at least, would be relatively low pressure. While Ray and Bob went to talk to a local radio station, Gerard and Frank found themselves in a hotel suite with their publicist and a video crew to tape interview segments for the video diary the label was in the process of putting together. Mikey, the slippery bastard, managed to houdini himself out of obligations and into a free day to sleep in. </p><p>Gerard pulls up a seat at the designated interview couch as Frank putters around the side table that’s become coffee central. While everyone around them focuses on setting up lights, camera angles, and interview notecards, Gerard finds himself with free reign to openly stare at Frank fix up their coffee cups without anyone noticing. He watches Frank tuck the long end of his hair behind his ear and then tug at the sleeves of his grandpa cardigan. Gerard has no idea where that cardigan came from but it makes him want to feed Frank soup and check to make sure he’s taken his vitamins and meds before an early bedtime. Frank will make for an adorable old man one day, Gerard thinks. He’s met Frank’s actual grandfather plenty of times to know it to be true. </p><p>There’s about a month left of Warped and Gerard’s attention span in recent weeks is a push and pull between the daily shows and working on demos for the next album. Everything’s a constant flow of <em>go, go, go</em> and Gerard feels a strange sense of relief that the tests of last summer are fully in the rear view mirror as the road ahead continues to stretch onward. </p><p>Frank walks toward Gerard and joins him on the little couch and raises one of the coffee cups toward Gerard’s direction. Gerard is strategic with his hand, to make their fingers brush together as he takes the cup. Their eyes lock for a moment, and Gerard whispers “Thank you.” They’ve learned how to sneak in hidden looks and touches in plain sight; it’s always easiest when everyone around them is a sweeping tornado of preparation, just before the spotlight and cameras turn on. </p><p>Their publicist - who deserves sainthood for all that she’s had to put up with from them, Gerard thinks - breaks their shared moment when she finally plants herself in the chair beside the camera. Gerard and Frank both slip into their “interview faces” as she starts to go over all the points they need to cover for the taped talking head that will be inserted into the video diary. </p><p>“Now, Gerard. We’re going to talk about the addiction, but since this is just us and not an audience, you can stop at any time. Both of you let me know when you need a break, okay?” she says. </p><p>Gerard nods, “Okay.” He agrees. Talking about this stuff has gotten easier, he has his story down pat and knows how to get his message across without sounding preachy and he doesn’t mind so much talking about his crash landing into rock bottom anymore. But it’s Frank sitting next to him, he knows, who will likely need a break when they reach that subject. He’s been a trooper through it all but if Gerard can keep Frank from having to feel that pain again, he will. </p><p>As the day wears on, Gerard keeps his focus on the camera as much as possible. His peripheral vision has improved in the last few years with plenty of practice of having to keep an eye on wherever Frank is onstage, mainly to avoid getting kicked in the balls again. Gerard senses Frank’s shift in sitting positions, he can read between casual poses and genuine laughter versus the occasional times Frank will curl in on himself when they’re talking about something sensitive. </p><p>To anyone else it was imperceivable, but nothing about Frank slips past Gerard anymore. He can read all of Frank's little tells, how one hand would circle the other wrist and squeeze, and then he'd repeat the motion with the opposite hand. It’s not unusual for Frank to fidget constantly, but when Gerard sees Frank shrinking himself to be smaller or pressing his fingers into his own arm hard enough to leave marks, he knows Frank needs to feel the reassurance of submission.</p><p> </p><p>Hours later, the camera crew is done and they’ve got the rest of the night off before an early lobby call in the morning to get back on the bus and continue the tour. Gerard says their goodbyes to everyone packing up in the interview room and ushers Frank out into the hallway and down toward their shared room. </p><p>“On your knees Frankie,” Gerard says as soon as they're in the door.</p><p>Frank obediently sinks to the floor and holds his hands behind his back and keeps his gaze on the floor. The sight still amazes Gerard to this day, he still doesn’t know who trained Frank into this automatic pose, or if it’s something Frank just does naturally. But for about two years now he’s been the only one privileged to see this sight. “I could tell you're feeling restless today, is that accurate?” </p><p>“Yes, Gee,” Frank answers. </p><p>Gerard turns on the light switch and asks, “Tell me what you were thinking about earlier.”</p><p>“Was thinking about how hard it is to sit next to you like that all day doing camera interviews and not be able to touch,” Frank whined.</p><p>Gerard growled, pleased at Frank's admission. Hearing Frank’s need for him never gets old, and Gerard feels the same way. “I wanna touch you all the time. You belong under my hands. Isn’t that right?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“I’ve got something that I want to try. Would you be up for some bit of sensation play?” </p><p>Frank sways in place, he wants anything that Gerard also wants to do to him, and this sounds amazing after aching to be touched all day, “Yes, please.” </p><p>“Good,” Gerard steps closer to Frank and grabs a fist-full of his hair and pulls his head to make him look up to Gerard in the eye. “You’re going to get up and take a shower. Relax and take all the time you need. You’re allowed to touch yourself and come, it will be your only chance to tonight unless I say otherwise. When you're done, you can dress for sleep, no shirt, and lay on the bed on your stomach, arms crossed under your head. I'm going to set things up in the meantime. Do you understand?” </p><p>“Yes, Gee,” Frank’s doe eyes are warm and vulnerable, locked on Gerard’s hazel gaze. </p><p>“Safe word?”</p><p>“Jersey.”</p><p>Gerard let's go of Frank’s hair and tucks the long end behind his ear, “Perfect. Now go.”  </p><p>Gerard waits to hear the bathroom door click before springing into action. First he sheds his clothes down to his boxers and then goes to his backpack and digs out a plastic shopping bag he picked up three cities ago. </p><p>It’s surprisingly easy for them to have sex on the bus, there’s the excuse of being trapped in close proximity with nowhere else to go when you’re a horny 20-something male. But it's much more difficult on the bus for Gerard to take his time with Frank and try to have longer scenes like the ones they can enjoy on the occasional hotel night. They savor each one, balancing those nights between trying new things or perfecting their personal favorites. </p><p>They’ve gotten better at this in the last several months. Gerard’s sobriety is still something he works for every single day, but he is able to channel that struggle and turn it into control in his scenes with Frank. For Gerard, setting up whatever supplies they would use for the night and getting everything ready has become a methodical practice for him. It helps him quiet his mind and turn down the noise and burdens of the day in order to focus on Frank. </p><p>The shower shuts off not long after Gerard finishes setting up. He sits on the end of the bed and watches that part of the room, waiting for Frank to emerge. He sees Frank walk out, head and gaze lowered in submission as he walks through the room. “Come to bed, Frank,” Gerard says as he pats the empty space on the bed next to him. Frank does as he is told and lays down, cradling his head in his crossed arms. Gerard luxuriates for a moment in petting Frank’s still wet hair before he begins. “Did you come?” He asks. </p><p>“Yes,” Frank answers.</p><p>“What were you thinking of?” Gerard’s always curious about Frank’s mind. Frank would always argue that Gerard’s mind is an enigma, but Gerard often wishes he could know every secret locked inside his lover’s beautiful head. He’s learned to read Frank’s body and expressions well enough to communicate with only glances or a gentle press of fingers against skin, but anything short of full on telepathy still leaves Gerard wanting more. </p><p>“Last night. After the barbecue, when I sucked you off in the bunks. I thought about how much I love blowing you and taking your cock in my mouth.” </p><p>Gerard’s hand grabbed at Frank’s hair and tugged slightly, “Fuck, Frankie. I loved that. Your mouth. Fuck.” </p><p>“Can I taste your cum again? <em>Please?”</em> Frank begs. </p><p>Gerard has half a mind to abandon his plans and give Frank just that. But no, they’ve got all night and Gerard needs to stick to them. <em>He</em> decides what they do, no matter how much he wants to give into Frank’s begging. “Not right now. There’s something I’m going to do first.” </p><p>Gerard slips off the bed and stands next to the nightstand. “You’re a walking canvas and it's my turn to paint on you,” Gerard explains as he shows Frank what he’s set up on the nightstand. There’s a plastic cup of water with two paint brushes and a little plastic tray of what Frank assumes is a kid’s costume face paint set. </p><p>Frank smiles and nods, prompting Gerard to continue. </p><p>“We’ve just spent all day talking and talking and talking, reliving the last few years into a camera but I haven’t actually talked to you all day,” Gerard says as he moves into position. He straddles Frank’s legs, sitting on his ass and hamstrings. He runs both hands down Frank’s back and leans forward and kisses the “<em>Keep the Faith</em>” tattoo. </p><p>“I got a little nostalgic while thinking about the old days. Which is funny because you’re the nostalgic one... I’m the one with my head in the clouds looking three steps ahead. But you pull me back in when I need it.” Gerard leans up and reaches over to grab a paintbrush and he dips it into the paint tray. </p><p>Frank hummed in agreement, fingers itching to move and to touch, but he keeps still. Gerard trusted him to hold steady without restraints and he wants to please Gerard and show him that he can be good. The first drag of the cold paint against his skin is just a tease, the brush tip is light and the strokes are small, like Gerard is painting tiny details across his back. Frank wants to arch up into it like a cat. Thankfully, he feels anchored by Gerard’s weight resting on his hamstrings and his hips are sandwiched by Gerard’s knees. </p><p>As Gerard continues babbling, he sees Frank’s hands twitching to move but they manage to stay in place. “You’re doing a great job staying still for me Frankie. I’m actually a little disappointed in myself that I hadn’t thought to do this before. We can try again another time to see if you’ll stay where I put you without being tied down. Only my words will hold you down. Would you like that?” </p><p>“Yes,” Frank’s entire body clenches at the thought. Almost every time they slip into this dynamic, Frank is kept in place by cuffs, belts, or neckties. But being tied down just by a command and his own willpower feels even more extreme and intimate than any amount of rope Gerard could wrap around him. </p><p>“You’ll do as I say, and I’ll reward you for it. You make me so proud. I want to be better for you all the time,” Gerard says as he continues his brush strokes. </p><p>The colors Gerard mix together are tinged yellow from the glow of the bedside lamp, but the cheap Walmart set of face paints are holding up better than Gerard thought they would in the first place. He starts to hum the melody that’s been itching in his head for the last few days. He makes a note to bother Ray about it tomorrow when they’re back on the bus and workshop it out on a guitar in their makeshift studio setup. </p><p>As Gerard continues humming and painting he feels Frank relax under his hands and slip into subspace. The little tension Gerard still felt in the back of his own neck unclenches once he confirms he was successful in getting Frank there. “Wish I could keep you here. I wonder what it’d be like to see you play while you’re flying like this. Even if it's just for me - I’d love to see it.” </p><p>Gerard reaches over to the nightstand for the little water cup and swishes the paintbrush around in it, turning the water orange. He picks a new color from the tray and continues the picture he’s pouring out onto Frank’s back. “I’m going to be a little sad once you’re all covered in tattoos. I like painting on you.” </p><p>The brush tickles Frank’s sides, Gerard's left hand holds Franks ribcage as he continues drawing in the little details of the picture he’s creating. He wishes the facepaint would hold up for longer than a few hours, but before they even get to the next tour stop tomorrow the colors will have sweat off into the fabric of Frank’s t-shirt. </p><p>About half an hour later, Gerard sets the paints and brush on the nightstand. He leans his face closer to Frank’s back and blows on the wet paint, like he’s blowing on a spoon of hot soup. Frank shivers at the sensation, making Gerard smirk at the reaction. “I’m going to get up and grab something. Don’t move.”</p><p>Frank stays completely still, he hears Gerard rummaging through a bag for something. He eventually hears the tell-tale sound of a camera shutter. He hears a few more clicks and feels Gerard’s weight return next to him on the bed. </p><p>“So beautiful like this, Frankie,” Gerard praises. “Look,” Gerard brings the camera view screen toward Frank’s face. </p><p>Frank sees the picture of his back and his eyes widen at the sight. It’s a sunset, the jack ‘o lantern tattoo transformed into the sun, set against swirls of a blue and purple sky over a tree silhouette and two small figures standing underneath it. It's beautiful. </p><p>After a minute of staring at the photo Frank looks up at Gerard, “I want your art on my skin,” Frank says. “Not just paints... I… I’ve been thinking about this for a while.” </p><p>“A tattoo, Frankie?” Gerard asks. </p><p>“Yeah,” Frank breathes, still feeling blissed out. </p><p>“Do you have anything in mind?” Gerard asks. “I’ll draw whatever you want.”</p><p>Frank shakes his head slightly, “No. You decide. As long as it's your art, I want it.” Gerard rewards that with a kiss to Frank’s forehead, and trails down his face with more soft kisses until finally their lips meet. </p><p>“Okay. I think... I may have something that would work,” Gerard sets the camera down on the nightstand and crawls into bed next to Frank. He scoops Frank into his arms, their stomachs pressed together and Gerard puts a hand on the back of Frank’s head, guiding it to rest against his collarbone. “We’ll get it done soon, okay?”</p><p>Frank leans his face into the crook of Gerard’s neck as Gerard’s fingers continue to curl and rub his hair and nods again, “Okay,” he echos. </p><p> </p><p>It’s a few weeks later and they’re back in Jersey, one of the last stops of Warped. Gerard called one of Frank’s usual tattoo artists and asked if he’d be able to do a piece for Frank that day after their set. Gerard bounces all morning, trying to contain the surprise. Frank senses something’s going on but knows better than to question Gerard. If Frank is meant to know, Gerard will tell him whenever he decides the time is right. </p><p>Gerard’s pleased with the artwork he’s decided on for the tattoo. A few months ago, he drew a series of prints that were part of a merch pack for their action figures. Gerard still couldn’t believe he went from creating action figure sketch schematics for a living to actually <em>becoming</em> one himself. </p><p>As part of the merch line, the portraits he did of each band member were some of Gerard’s favorite recent work. He almost couldn’t part with the one he drew of Frank, it was so intimate, it's exactly how he interpreted his sub who wears his heart on his sleeve and bleeds passion and love out of every pore. Gerard altered the tattoo design just slightly, making it just the hands and the frankenstein heart with nails protruding out of it and added chain links with a lock strung diagonally across the heart like a sash.</p><p>After their set, Gerard steers Frank towards a white van. “We going somewhere?” Frank asks as Gerard jiggles a set of keys.</p><p>“You'll see when we get there. But it shouldn't take too long, we’ll be back in a few hours,” Gerard stays cryptic as he unlocks one of the tour manager vans and slides in. “I was able to get Brian to snag the keys for us. As long as we're back by seven no one will know we've gone.” </p><p>Frank laughs, “I can't believe you. Let's go Bonnie.” </p><p>“I’m driving, that makes me Clyde,” Gerard's nose scrunches. </p><p>“Whatever floats your boat, dude.” Frank's laughter continues to ring out as they leave the parking lot. </p><p>Twenty minutes later, Gerard parks the van and leads Frank down a street, stopping at a storefront. </p><p>“Dave’s tattoo shop?” Frank asks, hands clapping together in excitement as he sees where Gerard has brought him. </p><p>“Remember what you asked me for a few weeks ago?” </p><p>Frank jumps up and his arms immediately wrap around Gerard's waist, “No way! Thank you!” </p><p>Gerard smiles and returns the hug, “Yeah, let's go inside. Dave’s waiting for us.”</p><p> </p><p>Later that night, as the bus rolls on to the next town, Gerard says, “Come ‘ere. Time to take off the bandage, Frank.” He pulls Frank toward the tiny bathroom on the bus. Frank lets himself be guided around, still feeling the pleasant buzzing linger on his skin from just hours earlier.  </p><p>Gerard peels off the bandage and assesses the tattoo. He turns on the little sink and waits for the water to warm up before bringing Frank’s arm closer to the faucet. Gerard scoops the water carefully and rinses the tattoo, he rubs some soap onto his fingers and gently washes the skin. </p><p>Intent on his work, Gerard doesn’t see the fond smile that tugs up on Frank’s face. Frank feels the familiar warmth of being cared for bloom in the bottom of his stomach and stretch across his limbs. He watches Gerard finish up with the water and then produce a tube of ointment out of thin air. </p><p>Gerard’s fingertips rub the ointment over the tattoo, as if it were paint in his hands. When he’s done he pulls Frank’s arm closer to his face and kisses the back of his hand. As he carefully lets go he whispers into Frank’s ear, “You’re mine to cherish and protect and love.” His thumb moves to press into the anchor tattoo just above the fresh one on Frank's arm, “I’ll be your anchor,” Gerard promises. </p><p>“And I’ll be yours too,” Frank returns.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Let's discuss the Frank prayer card in the comments, yes? </p><p>Thank you to everyone who read and commented on this series! I started out just thinking of how to put these two in a hurt/comfort, trust building situation and it has blossomed into a lovely little universe. This part is currently the end of what I plan to write for this series, but if inspiration draws be back to this version of Frank and Gerard in the future I will be happy to write more. </p><p>Title from the song "If You Let Me Be Your Anchor" by Dawes</p></blockquote></div></div>
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